MIAMI -- a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=was">Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor died early Tuesday, a day after the Pro Bowl player was shot at home by what police say was an intruder. He was 24.

Family friend Richard Sharpstein said Taylor's father told him the news around 5:30 a.m.

"His father called and said he was with Christ and he cried and thanked me," said Sharpstein, Taylor's former lawyer. "It's a tremendously sad and unnecessary event. He was a wonderful, humble, talented young man, and had a huge life in front of him. Obviously God had other plans."

Taylor died at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he had been airlifted after the shooting early Monday, Sharpstein said.

Two carloads of mourners, including the athlete's father, arrived at the house Tuesday morning. They remained inside and did not speak to reporters. A single bouquet of flowers was left by a palm tree just outside a front gate. Beside the mailbox, an untouched newspaper lay with news of Taylor's shooting.

Doctors had been encouraged late Monday when Taylor squeezed a nurse's hand, according to Vinny Cerrato, the Redskins' vice president of football operations. But Sharpstein said he was told Taylor never regained consciousness after being transported to the hospital and that he wasn't sure how he had squeezed the nurse's hand.

"Maybe he was trying to say goodbye or something," Sharpstein said.

Sean Taylor was tied for the NFC lead for interceptions with five and was known as one of the league's hardest-hitting defensive backs.

Taylor, the fifth overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft following an All-American season at the University of Miami, was shot early Monday in the upper leg, damaging the key femoral artery and causing significant blood loss.

"According to a preliminary investigation, it appears that the victim was shot inside the home by an intruder," Miami-Dade County police said in a statement. "We do not have a subject description at this time."

But police were still investigating the attack, which came just eight days after an intruder was reported at Taylor's home. Officers were sent to the home about 1:45 a.m. Monday after Taylor's girlfriend called 911.

Sharpstein said Taylor's girlfriend told him the couple was awakened by loud noises, and Taylor grabbed a machete he keeps in the bedroom for protection. Someone then broke through the bedroom door and fired two shots, one missing and one hitting Taylor, Sharpstein said. Taylor's 1-year-old daughter, Jackie, was also in the house, but neither she nor Taylor's girlfriend were injured.

Police found signs of forced entry, but have not determined if they were caused Monday, or the previous burglary.

The shooting happened in the pale yellow house he bought two years ago. Eight days before the attack someone pried open a front window, rifled through drawers and left a kitchen knife on a bed at Taylor's home, according to police.

"They're really sifting through that incident and today's incident," Miami-Dade Detective Mario Rachid said, "to see if there's any correlation."

Taylor's death comes nearly a year after Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was killed in a drive-by shooting following an argument at a Denver nightclub on Jan. 1. University of Miami defensive lineman Bryan Pata was shot to death in November 2006 several miles from Taylor's home in an unsolved killing.

Taylor starred as a running back and defensive back at Gulliver Prep in Miami. His father, Pedro Taylor, is police chief of Florida City.

A private man with a small inner circle, Taylor rarely granted interviews. But, behind the scenes, Taylor was described as personable and smart -- an emerging locker room leader.

"From the first day I met him, from then to now, it's just like night and day," Redskins receiver James Thrash said Monday. "He's really got his head on his shoulders and has been doing really well as far as just being a man. It's been awesome to see that growth."

After Taylor was drafted, problems soon began. Taylor fired his agent, then skipped part of the NFL's mandatory rookie symposium, drawing a $25,000 fine. Driving home late from a party during the season, he was pulled over and charged with drunken driving. The case was dismissed in court, but by then it had become a months-long distraction for the Redskins.

Taylor also was fined at least seven times for late hits, uniform violations and other infractions over his first three seasons, including a $17,000 penalty for spitting in the face of Tampa Bay running back Michael Pittman during a 2006 playoff game.

Meanwhile, Taylor endured a yearlong legal battle after he was accused in 2005 of brandishing a gun at a man during a fight over allegedly stolen all-terrain vehicles near Taylor's home. He eventually pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors and was sentenced to 18 months' probation.

Taylor said the end of the assault case was like "a gray cloud" being lifted. It was also around the time that his daughter was born, and teammates noticed a change.

"It's hard to expect a man to grow up overnight," said teammate and close friend Clinton Portis, who played with Taylor at Miami. "But ever since he had his child, it was like a new Sean, and everybody around here knew it. He was always smiling, always happy, always talking about his child."

On the field, Taylor's play was often erratic. Assistant coach Gregg Williams frequently called Taylor the best athlete he'd ever coached, but nearly every big play was mitigated by a blown assignment. Taylor led the NFL in missed tackles in 2006 yet made the Pro Bowl because of his reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the league.

This year, however, Taylor was allowed to play a true free safety position, using his speed and power to chase down passes and crush would-be receivers. His five interceptions tie for the league lead in the NFC, even though he missed the last two games because of a sprained knee.

"I just take this job very seriously," Taylor said in a rare group interview during training camp. "It's almost like, you play a kid's game for a king's ransom. And if you don't take it serious enough, eventually one day you're going to say, 'Oh, I could have done this, I could have done that.'

"So I just say, 'I'm healthy right now, I'm going into my fourth year, and why not do the best that I can?' And that's whatever it is, whether it's eating right or training myself right, whether it's studying harder, whatever I can do to better myself."

His hard work was well-noted.

"He loved football. He felt like that's what he was made to do," Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. "And I think what I've noticed over the last year and a half ... is he matured. I think his baby had a huge impact on him. There was a real growing up in his life."

damn...man. I was really tryin' to remain positive about this whole ordeal. I really thought he'd recover and be playing football next year or something. It was a shock to hear it today. Had to hold back some tears. RIP ST

that's what a lot of people have been questioning, but if it was a hit, you'd think they go for a kill shot, not hope a bullet to the leg hits an artery. This seemed like more of dude caught by surprise and unloading a couple to make a getaway.

But yeah..you never know though..ST has had some issues in the past. Everything will come to light soon enough.

Not only did my squad lose probably their best defensive player, another young brotha is taken out over senseless bullshit. Jealousy is an ugly color that no one should want to wear. Like Frank Lucas, his success took a shot at him, and unfortunately, didn't miss.

Another ironic thing is, all four NFL players that have either died or been killed this year, were all 24 at the time of their death. Fuck Number 23, they need to make a movie called Number 24.

_________________"If at first you don't succeed, you're doing it wrong"

Joined: 03/03/02 05:00:00 PMPosts: 5074Location: All your base are belong to us

This shit is really, really fucked up, the path this is starting to take. I didn't know the man before this, but R.I.P. Too bad I had to learn his name this way. It's a goddamn shame that we've come to the point where you can get done in by your own people becuz you accomplished what they couldn't.

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Antrel Rolle told The Associated Press that Taylor was "pretty much scared every day of his life" because former friends wanted to do Taylor harm.

"They've been targeting him for three years now," Rolle told The AP.

Taylor died early Tuesday, a day after he was shot during a home invasion that some have speculated was a burglary attempt. "It absolutely was not a burglary," Rolle told The AP.

Rolle, who played sandlot football with Taylor and was later his teammate at the University of Miami, said old acquaintances didn't like the fact that Taylor was focusing his life on his young daughter and trying to break with his past.

"There were many people targeting Sean, a lot of jealousy, a lot of angry people," AP quoted Rolle as saying. "Sean, he had a large group of friends, and he no longer hung out with those friends, so you never know where this came from."

fucked up my whole day when i saw the news on sportscenter. i dont even usually watch tv before work, but was eatin cereal and decided to turn it on right quick...horrible news. rip sean

_________________

"Fuck the Bushes and the hicks up in the woods equipped wit hoods, return of Jesus and the media, we need to take a look at kids/On the block hollow wit a glock and no cause, coulda followed, but i lead, so i need that weed tomorrow..."- Heretic Skeptic

Not only did my squad lose probably their best defensive player, another young brotha is taken out over senseless bullshit. Jealousy is an ugly color that no one should want to wear. Like Frank Lucas, his success took a shot at him, and unfortunately, didn't miss.

Another ironic thing is, all four NFL players that have either died or been killed this year, were all 24 at the time of their death. Fuck Number 23, they need to make a movie called Number 24.

damn all were 24? that's kinda wild.

_________________

"Fuck the Bushes and the hicks up in the woods equipped wit hoods, return of Jesus and the media, we need to take a look at kids/On the block hollow wit a glock and no cause, coulda followed, but i lead, so i need that weed tomorrow..."- Heretic Skeptic

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